Rob Brezsny's Astrology Newsletter http://ezezine.com
Rob Brezsny's Free Will Astrology Newsletter
January 31, 2007
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I, May I Rest in Peace
by Yehuda Amichai
I, may I rest in peace--I, who am still living, say
May I have peace in the rest of my life.
I want peace right now while I'm still alive.
I don't want to wait like that pious man
who wished for one leg of the golden chair of Paradise,
I want a four-legged chair right here, a plain wooden chair.
I want the rest of my peace now.
I have lived out my life in wars of every kind;
battles without and within, close combat, face-to-face, the faces always
my own, my lover-face, my enemy face,
Wars with the old weapons--sticks and stones, blunt axe, words, dull
ripping knife, love and hate,
and wars with newfangled weapons--machine guns, missile, words, land
mines exploding, love and hate.
I don't want to fulfill my parents' prophesy that life is war.
I want peace with all my body and all my soul.
Rest me in peace.
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WHAT'S TO COME?
BRAINSTORM ABOUT THE BIG PICTURE OF YOUR LIFE
with the help of my
Expanded Audio Horoscopes for the Coming Year
Go to http://RealAstrology.com
You can still listen to my long-range, in-depth explorations of your destiny
in 2007. Each report in the three-part series is about 6-8 minutes long.
What will be the story of your life in 2007? How can you exert your free
will to create the adventures that'll bring out the best in you, even as you
find graceful ways to cooperate with the tides of destiny?
If you'd like a high-octane boost of inspiration to fuel you in your quest
for beauty and truth and love and justice and meaning, tune in to my
meditations on your long-term outlook.
A new short-range forecast for this week is also available, both on the
Web and at 1-877-873-4888 or 1-900-950-7700.
To find out more about Your BIG PICTURE horoscopes, go to
http://RealAstrology.com.
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The piece below is excerpted from my book
"PRONOIA IS THE ANTIDOTE FOR PARANOIA:
How the Whole World Is Conspiring to Shower You with Blessings"
available at http://tinyurl.com/qaj62
or find out more at http://www.freewillastrology.com
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22ND-CENTURY PRONOIA THERAPY
Part One
Experiments and exercises in becoming a bewilderingly enlightened,
ecstatically grateful, unselfishly proud Master of Fiendishly Benevolent
Tricks
1. Philosopher Robert Anton Wilson has proposed that the single greatest
contribution to world peace would come from there being six billion
different religions--a unique spiritual path for each person on the planet.
The Beauty and Truth Laboratory urges you to get started on doing your
part to make this happen. What will your religion be called? What rituals
will you perform? Write down your three core tenets.
2. You'll also need a new name for the Creator. "God" and "Goddess"
have been so overused and abused that most of us are numb to them.
And given the spiritual opportunities that will open up for you as you
explore pronoia, you can't afford to have an impaired sensitivity towards
the Great Mystery.
Here's an idea to stimulate your search: The Russian word for God is
"Bog." The Basques call the Supreme Being "Jingo." To purge your
psychic dockets of built-up fixations about deity, you might try singing
improvisational prayers to "Jingo Bog."
Here are a few other fresh names to inspire you:
Blooming HaHa
Wild Divine
Whirl-Zap-Gush
Sublime Cackler
Chthonic Riddler
3. Since ancient times, China has hosted three religions: Confucianism,
Buddhism, and Taoism. The typical Chinese person has cobbled together a
mélange of beliefs gathered from all three. This is different from the
Western way, which is to be faithful to one religion or another, never
mixing and matching.
But that's changing in certain enclaves in North America, where growing
numbers of seekers are adopting the Chinese approach. They borrow
elements from a variety of spiritual traditions to create a personalized
path. Religious historians call this syncretism.
As you meditate on conjuring up your own unique mode of worship, think
of the good parts you'd like to steal from other religions.
4. Most religions designate a special class of people--priests, rabbis,
ayatollahs--to oversee official communications with the Source. This has
led to a prevailing assumption, even among those who don't follow an
established faith, that we can't initiate a divine conversation without the
aid of a professional class of trained mediators. Among some sects of the
ancient gnostics, in contrast, everyone was regarded as a potential
prophet who could experience epiphanies worthy of becoming part of the
ever-evolving doctrine.
As you create your own spiritual path, experiment with this approach.
What might you do to eliminate the middleman and commune directly
with the Source?
5. The chorus of an old Depeche Mode song goes like this: "I don't want
to start/ Any blasphemous rumors/ But I think that God's/ Got a sick
sense of humor/ And when I die/ I expect to find him laughing." I have a
grudging respect for these lyrics. In an age when God has been co-opted
by intolerant fundamentalists and mirthless sentimentalists, I appreciate
any artist who suggests there's more to the Infinite Spirit than the one-
dimensional prig described in the Bible or Koran.
On the other hand, Depeche Mode's notion of the Blooming HaHa is also
disinformation. It's as much a hostage to pop culture's knee-jerk nihilism
as the right-wing bigots' God is to their monumental hatreds. One thing I
know for sure about the Supreme Being is that while she does have a
complicated sense of humor, it's not cruel or vengeful.
Your assignment: Pray to be granted a healing sample of her comedic
genius--a funny, shocking miracle that will free you of any tendencies you
have to believe the age-old lies about her.
6. Will there be prayer in your new religion? If so, we suggest that you
avoid the body language traditionally used by Christians in their worship.
The gesture of clasping one's hands together originated long ago as an
imitation of being shackled; it was thought to be the proper way to
express submission to divine power.
The prayers you make, however, may be imbued as much with reverent
exuberance or ecstatic gratitude as somber submissiveness. An example
of a more apt gesture is to spread your arms as wide and high as they'll
go, as if you're hugging the sky. Any other ideas?
7. What if the Creator is like Rainer Maria Rilke's God, "like a webbing
made of a hundred roots, that drink in silence"? What if the Source of All
Life inhabits both the dark and the light, heals with strange splendor as
much as with sweet insight, is hermaphroditic and omnisexual? What if
the Source loves to give you riddles that push you past the boundaries of
your understanding, forcing you to deepen your perceptions and change
the ways you think about everything? Close your eyes and imagine you
can sense the presence of this tender, marvelous, difficult, entertaining
intelligence.
8. At a candy store one Easter season, I heard a philosophical debate
about Jesus-themed confections. "It's just not right to eat a symbol of
God," one woman said as she gazed at a chocolate Christ on the cross. A
man agreed: "It's sacrilegious. An abomination." An employee overheard
and jumped in. "I'll ask my boss to take that stuff off the shelf," she
clucked.
I was tempted to say what I was thinking: "Actually, the holiest ritual of
Christian worship involves eating Christ's body and blood." But I held my
tongue; I wasn't in the mood for a brouhaha.
Where do you stand on this issue? Do you or do you not want to eat a
symbolic embodiment of your deity? If you do, what food will you
choose?
9.At one point in James Michener's novel *Hawaii,* a native Hawaiian tells
ignorant missionaries, "You cannot speak to the gods with your clothes
on." Whereupon he strips and prepares for prayer. Test this theory. Find
out if your communion with the Divine Wow improves when you're naked.
10. A few Christian sects now enjoy a new addition to their once-staid
church services: holy laughter. Parishioners become so excited while
worshiping that they erupt in uncontrollable glee. Some crack up so
profoundly that they fall on the floor and flop around like breakdancers.
Others repeatedly leap into the air as if on pogo sticks, or wobble and
zigzag as if trying to dance while drunk.
11. In Judeo-Christian cultures, many people associate the sky with the
masculine form of God. According to this bias, the Supreme Father rules
us all from on high--up, away, far from here. But if you were an ancient
Egyptian, the sky was the goddess Nuit, her body its very substance. She
was a loving mother whose tender touch could be felt with each new
breath.
For one day, act as if you and the sky goddess are in constant contact.
++++++++++++++++++++++++
To read other news and features from my book, go here:
http://snipurl.com/l9o3
You can buy the book here:
AMAZON
http://snipurl.com/krjj
BARNES & NOBLE
http://snipurl.com/krjn
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
OTHER PRONOIA RESOURCES:
BRILLIANT PRANKS
Museum of Hoaxes
http://www.museumofhoaxes.com/hoax/aprilfool/
MUSIC
*Qareeb* by Najma
http://tinyurl.com/yq96t9
"Her soaring, melodious voice expresses the sublime ache to become lost
in union with the Beloved."
BOOK
The Birds Who Flew Beyond Time* by Anne Baring
"A children's book for adults. The Earth asks all the birds of the world to
go on a quest to save her life, describing the place they must reach in
order to bring back a message from the Great Being who lives in the
House of the Treasure in a garden beyond the edge of time. Based on a
tale by the 12th-century Persian poet Farid ud-Din Attar."
(Note: I endorse these because I like them. They're not advertisements,
and I get no kickbacks.)
Please tell me your own personal nominations for PRONOIA RESOURCES.
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FREE WILL ASTROLOGY
Week beginning February 1
Copyright 2007 by Rob Brezsny
http://FreeWillAstrology.com
Grammar key: Asterisks equal *italics*
ARIES (March 21-April 19): I have one little whisper of warning and one
big blast of encouragement for you. First, the warning: Don't be like the
ancient Roman emperor Caligula, who declared war on Neptune, god of
the sea, and commanded his troops to hurl their spears into the water.
Now here's the encouragement: If you heed my warning, the coming
weeks will be an excellent time to go to war, metaphorically speaking.
There's a 95 percent chance that your cause will be just, a 90 percent
chance that you'll be able to enlist a solid fighting force, and an 85
percent chance that you'll acquit yourself with resourceful courage.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20): In his book *Perfect Love, Imperfect
Relationships,* psychotherapist John Welwood writes, "Psychological work
focuses more on what has gone wrong: how we have been wounded in our
relations with others and how to go about addressing that. Spiritual work
focuses more on what is intrinsically right: how we have infinite resources
at the core of our nature that we can cultivate in order to live more
expansively. If psychological work thins the clouds, spiritual work invokes
the sun." In my opinion, Taurus, both approaches are useful, depending on
the season of your life. For the foreseeable future, though, spiritual work
should be your emphasis.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): It's a scary responsibility to give people
astrological advice. What if I suggested that you call in sick (even though
you're not sick) so you could wander off into the Great Unknown in quest
of close encounters with mind-blowing teachings? And what if in the
course of following my suggestion you learned so many lessons about
how to permanently expand your frontiers that you then decided to burn
down a bridge to nowhere and give away most of your emotional baggage
and live in greater devotion to your soul's radically simple needs? Could I
then get sued by someone in your life who really doesn't want you to
escape your traps?
CANCER (June 21-July 22): You're being compelled to get reacquainted
with forbidden dreams and buried secrets and hidden truths. Be honest:
It's not so bad; it's probably even a bit thrilling. Though it may generate
some pungent and poignant dramas, you've got to admit that the dramas
are pretty entertaining. And besides, if you can find a way to feel amused
as you cooperate with these forbidden dreams and buried secrets and
hidden truths, they will ultimately dissolve obstacles that have been
postponing your future.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): In her book *Traveling Mercies,* Ann Lamott says
the two best kinds of prayer are "Help me, help me, help me" and "Thank
you, thank you, thank you." The former was appropriate for you to
unleash a few weeks ago, Leo, but these days the latter makes more
sense. I know some of you may think that's a waste of time. Of what
practical value is it to express gratitude for what you've already been
given? Here's why: Expressing exuberant thanks tends to attract into
your life even more reasons to be thankful; it turns you into a magnet for
blessings.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): When Martin Luther King Jr. was 12 years old,
he was so depressed he tried to commit suicide. I'm glad he didn't
succeed. He grew up to be one of my heroes: a peaceful warrior who
fought for justice with militant love. Studying his life, I learned that it's
possible for a man to have both a well-honed intellect and a fierce
spiritual faith. He showed me that uplifting passion, lyrical language, and
inventive imagination are essential elements of political activism. He
proved you can be devoted to divine mysteries without turning into a
fundamentalist fanatic who hates non-believers. In accordance with the
astrological omens, Virgo, I urge you to draw inspiration from a hero who
means as much to you as King does to me. For extra credit, find out how
this indomitable soul managed to triumph over his or her life's low points.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Would you like some inspiration as you muse and wonder about your
upcoming adventures in 2007?
You can still listen to my long-range, in-depth explorations of your destiny
in 2007. Each report in the three-part series is about 6-8 minutes long.
Go to http://RealAstrology.com
for these EXPANDED AUDIO HOROSCOPES
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): "The disease of niceness cripples more lives
than alcoholism," said writer Raymond Chandler. That's an exaggeration,
in my opinion, but I think his point is important--especially for you Libras
right now. As much as I love your ability to cultivate harmony, seek out
beauty, and find the common ground between people, I encourage you to
let the sweet and polite sides of your nature recede into the background
for a while. Emphasize feistiness and grit. Tap into the fiery, primal aspect
of your nature that drove you out of your mother's womb and into this
world in the hour when you were born. Be inspired by the creator gods
and goddesses of ancient myth, who playfully forged millions of beautiful
things using wind, mud, tears, and lightning.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Some people think of me as a pure
Californian, marinated in Left Coast politics and raised on New Age
memes. But the truth is I spent the first 12 years of my life in the
Midwestern heartland, the next six years on the East Coast, then nine
years in the South. I'm as mongrel a breed of American as it's possible to
be. Though I may bloom with Californian-style eccentricities, my roots are
deep in down-to-earth cultural memes. Now I'd like you to do for yourself
what I just did, Scorpio, only more so. Remember in detail your origins.
Take inventory of the places that have helped make you who you are.
Note wryly the differences between what people imagine you to be and
what you know you are.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Even though it's illegal, marijuana is now
America's biggest cash crop, generating more revenue than corn and
soybeans. Official government sources won't acknowledge this fact, of
course, and the major media would prefer to ignore it. Let's use this
situation as a metaphor for your personal life, Sagittarius. Meditate on the
following three questions. (1) Is there a valuable asset that you neglect
to account for when you take inventory of your total resources? (2) Is
there a Big Important Thing that you don't fully acknowledge? (3) Do you
play down the power of a transformational agent that's taboo or not fully
accepted?
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): "The greatest thing a human soul ever
does in this world is to see something," wrote art critic John Ruskin. "To
see clearly is poetry, prophecy, and religion, all in one." Your assignment
in the coming week, Capricorn, is to make Ruskin's idea your method. In
other words, lay aside everything you think you know, suspend your reflex
to impose your beliefs on every situation you encounter, and behold the
world exactly as it is. If you do it right, you'll experience pleasure beyond
measure. More than that, you'll change everything you see into a more
beautiful version of itself.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Seven centuries ago, there were Christian
religious fanatics in Europe who demanded that all women must cover
their ears. Why? Because the Virgin Mary had been inseminated through
that part of her body by the Holy Spirit. The fanatics feared that other
women might be susceptible to the influx of invisible ear-penetrating
entities that weren't so benevolent. And how does this relate to you?
While I'm not worried that you'll be literally invaded, I do think you should
be careful about what words and sounds you let slip into your ears.
There's a good chance you'll be metaphorically impregnated by potent
messages that arrive via that route. Make sure they're positive messages
that will make you thrive.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Patches of yellow forsythias and blue gentian
flowers have sprouted high in the Austrian Alps this winter, appearing
where snow usually dominates the landscape. I predict that you're about
to experience a metaphorically similar phenomenon, Pisces. There'll be an
unprecedented blossoming in a situation that has previously been unable
to support growth. I wouldn't be surprised if some of your frozen assets
began to thaw as well.
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HOMEWORK: How could you change yourself in order to get more of the
love you want? Testify by going to http://FreeWillAstrology.com and
clicking on "Email Rob."
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WANT TO GET YOUR CHART DONE?
I'm not doing personal charts these days, but I highly recommend my
favorite astrological colleague, RO LOUGHRAN. Her approach closely
matches my own. In our many discussions about astrology over the years,
we've had a major influence on each other's work.
Ro utilizes a blend of well-trained intuition, emotional warmth, and a high
degree of technical proficiency in horoscope interpretation; she is skilled
at exploring the mysteries of your life's purpose and nurturing your
connection with your own inner wisdom.
Ro is based in California, but can do phone consultations and otherwise
work with you regardless of geographic boundaries.
Ro's website is at
http://www.YourSoulJourney.com
She can also be reached at roloughran@comcast.net
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Contents of the Free Will Astrology Newsletter are Copyright
2007 Rob Brezsny
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